North Pagosa-Piedra Road-160 Hwy

Distance of the basic loop is 14.45 miles. Although there are a couple of short hills, your cumulative ascent over this distance is only 1210 feet.

The easiest place to begin this loop is at the City Market parking lot at the corner of 160 Hwy and North Pagosa Blvd. Ride North Pagosa Blvd for 7 miles to its end. Turn right on Piedra Road for another 5.8 miles to its end. Turn right on 160 Hwy and return to your vehicle. Most local riders do this loop clockwise.

You might seriously consider option 4 below during the busier summer months when there is more traffic on Piedra Road, including loaded gravel trucks.

There are several variations you can make on this loop:1. Add Lake Forest Circle which loops off to the west of North Pagosa Blvd at mile 0.8 and reconnects with North Pagosa Blvd2. Turn right on Mission Drive at mile 3.2 and connect to Piedra Road for a shorter loop3. Turn right onto Hatcher Circle at mile 5.0 to add a hill climb and a scenic variation. Hatcher Circle will reconnect to North Pagosa Blvd4. Ride North Pagosa Blvd to the end and return on the same route to avoid the higher traffic on Piedra Road and 160 Hwy5. Combine with South Pagosa-Meadows-160 Hwy loop

South Pagosa-Meadows Loop-160 Hwy

The easiest place to begin this loop is at the City Market Parking lot at the corner of North Pagosa Blvd and 160 Hwy. To follow the mileages, reset your bike computer/GPS unit at the stoplight where Pagosa Blvd crosses Hwy 160.

Ride South Pagosa Blvd (which becomes Buttress Ave) for 3.46 miles. Turn right on Meadows Drive just before the pavement ends and follow it to its end. At mile 6.95 turn right on Hwy 160 and return to your vehicle. Most local riders do this loop clockwise.

There are several variations you can make to this loop:1. Add Capricho Circle which becomes Bristlecone Drive by turning left at mile at .7 miles. Turn right onto Heath Drive which reconnects to South Pagosa Blvd2. There are many good asphalt roads off South Pagosa Blvd to explore3. Combine with North Pagosa-Piedra Road-160 Hwy loop

151 Hwy to Navajo State Park

This ride on 151 Hwy to Navajo State Park and back starts at the junction of 160 Hwy and 151 Hwy. There is a wide parking area where you can leave your vehicle.

This is the most popular early spring road bike ride when the higher elevations are colder and the roads may still have snow. Although there is not a large shoulder on this road, there is little traffic in the spring. When the warmer summer weather arrives, there is more traffic as boats and campers head to Lake Navajo.

The ride can be easily extended by staying on Hwy 151 through Allison and Tiffany to Ignacio.

Chromo to Chama

Most local road bikers avoid riding south of Pagosa on Hwy 84 because there is not much of a shoulder and the summer traffic can be high at times – visualize lumbering RV’s. By starting in Chromo (23 miles south of Pagosa), however, you can expect a very pleasant ride. At the New Mexico border, a wide shoulder begins. There is even a “snooze bar”.

You can add a couple more miles by riding into the heart of Chama. Watch the steam locomotives coming and going and drink a cup of java in the shade of a tree before heading back.

Chama to Antonito (Cumbres Pass)

One of the great things of out and back rides like this is that you can ride as far or as long as you want before turning around. You don’t have to do the century ride!

This route parallels the Cumbre Toltec Scenic Railroad. So, you can often see the train chugging up the valley below. Great scenery all along this route. You’ll love it when the aspens have turned in the fall. Another plus: the road doesn’t reach the summit then immediately plummet back down the other side like so many Rocky Mountain passes. There is a long, rolling high mountain plateau waiting for you after you reach the summit of Cumbres Pass.

Bring foul weather gear. The weather can change quickly at high elevation.

Tierra Amarilla to Tres Piedras

One of the great things about out and back rides like this is that you can ride as far or as long as you want before turning around. You don’t have to do the century ride!

Tierra Amarilla is about 61 mile south of Pagosa Springs through Chama, NM. This route begins at the junction of US 84 & US 64, just south of Tierra Amarilla.

One nice feature of this ride, similar to the Chama to Antonito ride, is that the road doesn’t immediately descend the back side of the mountain after you reach the summit. There is a wonderful, rolling road across a high mountain plateau for many miles.

Bring foul weather gear. The weather can change quickly at high elevation.